Tories had no firm policy on the Mid-East conflict: critics

Under criticism for apparently forming its Middle-East policy on the fly, Tory MP Peter Goldring (Edmonton East, Alta.) told The Hill Times that the Conservatives' pro-Israeli stance in the current Middle East conflict is consistent with a party stance against terrorism that they've held since coming into power.Mr. Goldring's comments echoed Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay's (Central Nova, N.S.) remarks before the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee last week, where he said the choice between siding with a democraticallyelected government and siding with a terrorist organization of "cold-blooded murderers" was an easy one.The opposition continued to criticize the government's shift from what some call Liberal neutrality in the conflict, accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) of currying favour with the United States. NDP MP Alexa McDonough (Halifax, N.S.) said the Conservatives did not have any foreign policy position on the conflict before the recent crisis began on July 12."Not only do they not have clear positions but they actually had no clue what Canada was going to be called upon to do in the way of providing leadership," Ms. McDonough said. "And in the absence of having any understanding or clear policy they just decided to sign on to the policies of the Bush administration. One imagines ... that if George Bush and his henchmen were advocating the opposite course, then they would again say, count us in, we're on your side."But Conservatives maintain they are doing what is logical and fair, given that the Lebanese government did not disarm Hezbollah despite international calls to do so. "If the Lebanese community is not prepared to reject, as the Minister says, the 'cancer from within,' it will draw fire from -it could be the Israelis, it could be from anybody attacked under those circumstances," Mr. Goldring said. "They will retaliate."Given recent polls showing significant Canadian disapproval of Mr. Harper's stance, especially in Quebec, voters apparently don't agree that the government stance is fair or logical, opposition parties said last week.Mr. Goldring said the poll results are due to skewed news reporting, which has also shown mostly Lebanese casualties. "The reporting has been ... concentrating, yes, on the tragic losses in Lebanon," he said. "But it hasn't been fixating on or emphasizing the losses on the other side." -by Jenny SongUnder criticism for apparently forming its Middle-East policy on the fly, Tory MP Peter Goldring (Edmonton East, Alta.) told The Hill Times that the Conservatives' pro-Israeli stance in the current Middle East conflict is consistent with a party stance against terrorism that they've held since coming into power.Mr. Goldring's comments echoed Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay's (Central Nova, N.S.) remarks before the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee last week, where he said the choice between siding with a democraticallyelected government and siding with a terrorist organization of "cold-blooded murderers" was an easy one.The opposition continued to criticize the government's shift from what some call Liberal neutrality in the conflict, accusing Prime Minister Stephen Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) of currying favour with the United States. NDP MP Alexa McDonough (Halifax, N.S.) said the Conservatives did not have any foreign policy position on the conflict before the recent crisis began on July 12."Not only do they not have clear positions but they actually had no clue what Canada was going to be called upon to do in the way of providing leadership," Ms. McDonough said. "And in the absence of having any understanding or clear policy they just decided to sign on to the policies of the Bush administration. One imagines ... that if George Bush and his henchmen were advocating the opposite course, then they would again say, count us in, we're on your side."But Conservatives maintain they are doing what is logical and fair, given that the Lebanese government did not disarm Hezbollah despite international calls to do so. "If the Lebanese community is not prepared to reject, as the Minister says, the 'cancer from within,' it will draw fire from -it could be the Israelis, it could be from anybody attacked under those circumstances," Mr. Goldring said. "They will retaliate."Given recent polls showing significant Canadian disapproval of Mr. Harper's stance, especially in Quebec, voters apparently don't agree that the government stance is fair or logical, opposition parties said last week.Mr. Goldring said the poll results are due to skewed news reporting, which has also shown mostly Lebanese casualties. "The reporting has been ... concentrating, yes, on the tragic losses in Lebanon," he said. "But it hasn't been fixating on or emphasizing the losses on the other side." -by Jenny Song

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Tories had no firm policy on the Mid-East conflict: critics

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